The move makes available another option for teams looking to add a quarterback, a list that would include the Seahawks should they trade backup Matt Flynn.

Hasselbeck, 37, had QB ratings of 82.4 and 81 in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Teams could do much worse than him as their backup. Perhaps he'd even be an attractive option for teams in search of a veteran to install as their starter while a rookie learns for a season on the bench. Those factors might make him more appealing than Flynn, which would decrease the likelihood of Seattle finding a trade partner.

But what if a team views Flynn as its best option and makes Seattle an enticing offer? The Seahawks have said they will listen, but pulling the trigger on a deal for Flynn would make little sense from their standpoint the absence of a viable alternative, whether it's in the draft or free agency. If Hasselbeck is still around, he would give the Seahawks another option, if nothing else.